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Phone Recorder technical information

Question: Are your phone recorders scalable?
Answer: Versadial recorders are very scalable. Often you can simply add daughter cards to your existing recording card to record more channels. Or more recording cards can be purchased and used in tandem with the original. The Mid-tower PC will scale up to 72 channels, the portable unit up to 96, and the Rack-mount servers will handle up to 256 channels. Upgrading the software to the required amount of channels is as easy as downloading the new licenses to your USB key. Analog recording cards start at 4 channels and scale up to 8, 16, or 24 channels on a single card. Digital recording cards start at 8 channels and scale up to 16 or 24 channels with daughter cards.

Question: How is the software licensed?
Answer: VS Logger is licensed by the number channels you need to record. These channels can be either trunk side recording I.E: Analog, ISDN BRI, T1/E1, and radio lines. ISDN BRI is licensed as 2 channels 2B+1D. 4 Wire phones are treated the same way. Minimum licensing is 4 channels. For Digital PBX extension side recording your PBX and phone sets must be compatible. See a list of compatible PBXs. For Example: You need to record 10 extensions for your Nortel Norstar PBX. The phone models are M7310, and M7316. The best solution for you would be a 16 Digital recording card and licensed for 10 recording channels.

Question: What languages does VS Logger support?
Answer: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Russian, Arabic, and German

Question: How does VS Logger record digital extensions?
Answer: Versadial will provide you with a proper digital recording card, Punch Block (66 type) and 15' Telco cable (50 pin). The cable will connect the recording card to the provided punch down block. The punch down block provided, will in turn sit in parallel to your existing extensions for a cross connection.

Question: Can VS Logger support VoIP?
Answer: Yes, VS Logger version 3.02 or higher supports certain types of VoIP. See a list of compatible VoIP PBXs. See how Versadial phone recorders can be set up to record VoIP lines. here.

Question: Can VS Logger support Vonage?
Answer: Vonage has not yet been tested.

Question: Can I see the software or do a LIVE demo?
Answer: Yes, through a TCP/IP connection you can download our Remote client software. (This is included in the VS Logger server software) We have an online demo where your computer will be able to connect to Versadial's recorder computer and retrieve sample recordings to playback. The live demo takes about 15-20 minutes.Here's how to set up for the online demo:
You will need:

  • A computer system with Internet access and able to playback WAV files.
  • Speakers connected to your computer.
  • You'll need a speakerphone if more than one person will be attending the demo.
  • Be logged in to Windows with Administrator user account permissions.

Please call or email us here to setup an appointment for the Live Demo.

Question: How long does it take to install a Versadial system?
Answer: Installing a Versadial system is usually a quick and painless operation. It commonly takes only an hour or two but in some cases may take up to 20 hours depending upon a number of factors including the installers experience with Windows and the VS Logger software, the particular PBX, and the telecom wiring. Use he following steps to estimate the installation time:
Connecting the lines:

  • Extension recording: to 4 hours depending upon the number of lines.
  • Trunk recording: to 4 hour depending upon the number of lines.

Hardware and software installation:

  • Kit: 1 hour to install the cards into the PCI slot of your PC and install the software.
  • System: Everything is preinstalled.

Setup and test the system:

  • Without SMDR: to 4 hours depending on the number and type of the lines.
  • With SMDR: SMDR configuration requires more time for setup and testing. Plan on 1 to 16 hours to gather SMDR information from your PBX administrator, vendor or client, and configure the VS Logger software to those settings.

Training to use the Versadial software:

  • System admin: 4-8 hours to learn to administrative side of VS Logger
  • Supervisor: 1-3 hours to learn all the features of VS Monitor
  • User: -1 hour to learn the basics of VS Monitor or VS Web

 

Question: I want to purchase a VDL-KIT, what are the requirements and what is the installation process like?
Answer: Setting up a Versadial telephone recorder is easier than you might think. If you feel comfortable installing a video card in your PC then installing or expanding a Versadial solution is within your reach. To install a VDL-Kit Card in your existing PC you will need the following:

  • Windows 2000, XP Pro, Server, 2003
  • 800 Mhz Pentium with 256Mb RAM
  • PCI motherboard and ATX Power supply (3.3V)
  • Available full-size PCI slot (3.3V 13.83" x 4.75")
  • Second hard drive or partition for recording data
  • Sound card configured to play WAV files
  • Network LAN connection (TCP/IP)

Here are the steps to install a Versadial Kit:

  1. Have your telecom provider prepare your phone lines to plug into the recorder.
  2. Make sure your PC is placed close to the phone lines that will connect to it.
  3. Open your PC so you can get to the PCI slots on your motherboard.
  4. Insert the VDL-Kit card into an open PCI slot.
  5. Close the PC case and start the PC.
  6. Install the drivers, then VS Logger software from the included CD.
  7. Shut down the PC and plug the phone lines into the VDL-Kit card.
  8. Restart the PC and set up VS Logger according to your preferences.

DONE! This is a fairly simple process and just to make it even more stress free our support staff is only a phone call away if you have any questions along the way.


Question: What is the difference between trunk side recording and extension side recording?
Answer: Versadial telephone recorders can record in both scenarios. Direct digital extension (station-side) or incoming trunk lines (trunk-side) are the two most common. Below are pros and cons of each method:
Pros/Cons for recording direct digital extensions:
Pros: With extension side, you will know who you are monitoring during live calls. All calls are recorded including internal calls (extension to extension). Search by extensions/agents, caller id, dialed numbers, etc. All setup is in phone-room, no need for handset adapters.
Cons: More wiring installation is required than trunk side installation. Extension side recording is more expensive than trunk side recording if the number of extension channels you have is greater than the number of trunk channels. To record more phones you need more recording kits.
Pros/Cons for recording trunk analog or T1/PRI lines:
Pros: Search by extension (single extension at a time), caller id, dialed numbers, etc. Wiring is done easily by splitting the lines. All setup is in the phone-room with no need for handset adapters. If you add more extensions there is no need to purchase additional hardware as long as the number of trunk lines does not change.
Cons: You will not know whom you are monitoring live unless you listen and recognize the voice. After a call has ended, the extension information is available immediately for search. All calls are recorded except for internal calls (extension to extension). Trunk side recording requires SMDR setup which can at times be lengthy. SMDR setup enables the capture of extension, caller id, and dialed number information.

Question: What is SMDR?
Answer: SMDR is Station Message Detail Reporting. Most PBXs can provide call information to external applications through SMDR or CDR(Call Details Record) ports. These ports are commonly regular serial ports or TCP/IP ports. SMDR or CDR information contains details of the individual calls such as: caller id, extensions, dialed numbers, account, trunk, call duration and direction etc.
VS Logger 3.0 software can be configured to capture SMDR info either from the serial port, TCP socket, or a data file. VS Logger can retrieve the call data (caller id, extensions, dialed numbers) and insert it into the corresponding recording. SMDR can be used in all recording scenarios such as: from trunk line, extension side, or handset recording.
Attention!!! SMDR integration with Versadial VS Logger 3.0 software can be very time-consuming, if proper diligence is not exercised during installation and collecting PBX configuration data. Customers should be closely involved in providing required data. Resellers should plan extra time for installation and manage customer expectations accordingly.
To configure SMDR/CDR capture to VS Logger, customers have to do following:

  • allocate, configure and enable dedicated SMDR/CDR port on their PBX (refer to your telecom vendor).
  • Note port settings (baud rate, parity, stop bits etc for serial port), Port Number and maybe IP address for TCP/IP port.
  • If recording from the trunk lines, prepare map of the physical lines to Trunk IDs configured in PBX and to recorder channels these trunks are connected to. A table like following, will be very helpful (Trunk ID/Rout ID as displayed in SMDR data).
    T1 line1 ch1: Trunk ID/Rout ID : Recorder channel
    T1 line 1 ch 2: 0000 : ch1
    T1 line 1 ch 3: 0001 : ch2
    .....
    T2 line 2 ch 1: 0024 : ch23
  • If recording from the extension lines, prepare map of the physical lines to Ext configured in PBX and to recorder channels these extension are connected to.A table like following, will be very helpful (Ext. as displayed in SMDR data).

    Ext line: Ext : Recorder channel
    Ext line 1: 705 : ch1
    Ext line 2: 708 : ch2
    Ext line 3: 800 : ch3
  • Generate sample SMDR log.
  • identify main fields of the SMDR records (caller id, extension, dialed number, trunk, call duration and direction) Versadial Solutions can assist customers/dealers with SMDR integration when above information is provided.